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Nile And The Red Sea Tour

On this Egyptian adventure we explore the Nile aboard traditional 'felucca' sailing boats. We enjoy local food as we sail down the river and sleep under the stars on the deck. We also visit ancient Egypt's most famous sites including the great Pyramids of Giza, the mysterious Sphinx, Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings.

Tour Highlights

Cairo - Marvel at the majestic Pyramids and Sphinx then tour the Egyptian Museum

Luxor - Take a horse drawn 'calesh' to Karnak Temple; explore the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple

Nile felucca sailtrek - Sail from Aswan to the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo on board a traditional sailing boat

Itinerary

1

Join tour Cairo

Arrive Cairo and check-in at the hotel. Cairo is a vibrant, exhilarating, fascinating and welcoming city. Home to the best Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic sites in Egypt, this city is where you never know what incredible, half-forgotten monument you might stumble across while wandering around. If you arrive early you may wish to catch your first glimpse of the mighty Nile River, visit the capital's medieval markets at Khan El-Khalili or walk down the Nile promenade. There are also plenty of cinemas, theatres and modern shopping malls.

2

In Cairo; visit the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum; fly to Aswan

Cairo is Africa's largest capital city and is known as the city of a thousand minarets. Driving to Giza we see the Pyramids and Sphinx, which are among the most impressive man-made spectacles in the world. The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the largest of the group (originally 145m high with a square base 232m). Second is the Pyramid of Chephren (136m high and 210m wide). The complex includes the Sphinx, a crouching lion with a human head carved from solid rock and the splendid Granite Temple. We also visit the Egyptian Museum, which contains the treasures of Tutankhamun. This evening we fly to Aswan and transfer to our accommodation. We will normally be staying in a guesthouse within a Nubian village on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the main city. Scheduled motorboat transfers across the river provide access to the city during your free time here.
Please note that due to flight availability it may be necessary for you to spend the night of day 2 in Cairo (instead of Aswan) and to fly to Aswan early in the morning of day 3.

Overnight: Simple GuesthouseSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner

3

Free time in Aswan for optional excursions

Today is free in Aswan. Aswan is traditionally regarded as the frontier town of Upper Egypt; it stands just below the first Cataract and is the meeting point of Arab culture with Nubia and black Africa. Aswan's bazaar area is filled with craftwork with a strong Sudanese style. You may want to take an excursion to the Aswan High Dam (built in 1971), the granite quarries from where the pharaohs cut many of their huge obelisks and statues or visit the Philae Temple, situated on an island in the Nile.

Overnight: Simple GuesthouseSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

4

In Aswan or join an optional excursion to Abu Simbel

Our time in Aswan is free and there are a number of places worth seeing (all of which are optional to give as much flexibility to your time here as possible). Your tour leader can organise an excursion by road (or air) to the temples of Abu Simbel. Cut into the rock face, these huge structures were raised 61m to save them from inundation by the artificial lake created when the Aswan High Dam was constructed. The 29m high statues found here represent Ramses II.

Overnight: Simple GuesthouseSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

5

Nile felucca sailtrek from Aswan towards Edfu

This morning you may choose to take an optional excursion of a camel trek through the desert to the abandoned Coptic Monastery of St. Simeon. Later we board our feluccas for our voyage, sailing towards Edfu. The leisurely and informal nature of felucca sailing means that no fixed night stops can be given. These depend to a considerable extent on the elements. As we sail, we see the intensive cultivation of the Nile Valley and at intermittent points there are small villages, which depend upon the river for their livelihood. In general, our evening stops will be by the river bank or at mid-river islands, where we set up a wild camp allowing pleasant early morning swims. We sleep on the deck of the feluccas and the experience of sleeping under the stars more than compensates for the limited facilities. Our crew look after us admirably and are great fun. Our stopping times are extremely variable as we need to take maximum advantage of the northerly winds.

Overnight: Basic Felucca

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

6

Sailing to Kom Ombo Temple

Today we continue sailing peacefully upstream. In the afternoon we aim to reach Kom Ombo. The Temple of Kom Ombo is unique in that it is dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek. Sobek the crocodile god was much needed at this spot as the river here was noted for crocodiles until early this century.

Overnight: Basic Felucca

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

7

Day sailing by felucca

Today we enjoy another relaxing day taking in the scenes of life along the Nile, enjoying a book, chatting with group or crew members and forgetting all about time as we sail down the world's longest river.

Overnight: Basic Felucca

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

8

Felucca towards Edfu Temple; transfer to Luxor

We sail towards Edfu today, the largest Egyptian temple after Karnak, dating from the time of the Ptolemies (3rd-1st century BC). A falcon-headed god guards the Temple of Horus, which is in almost perfect condition. The temple is unusual in that the roof is still intact. After our road transfer to Luxor we'll take horse drawn carriages (caleshes) from our hotel to visit the stupendous Temple of Amun at Karnak, the labour of numerous pharaohs. Begun in around 2000 BC, the most imposing structures include the 134 pillars of the Hypostyle Hall, carved all over with scenes of the king worshipping Amun.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool AvailableSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

9

In Luxor, Valley of the Kings

This morning we travel by bus to visit the extraordinary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's only female Pharaoh, who usurped the throne from her son, the future Tuthmoses III. The scale of the temple and its magnificent setting are breathtaking, but perhaps even more remarkable are the details - look out for the fine carving of the 'Expedition to the Land of Punt'. We then take a short bus ride to the Valley of the Kings' to explore some of the more important sites made famous in 1922 by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter. We visit three tombs here. This afternoon is free for your own personal exploration, maybe a visit to Luxor Museum, some last minute shopping or even an optional donkey trek on the west bank, where you travel through fields and villages and end your trip watching the sun set over the Nile.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool AvailableSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

10

Transfer to Safaga by road

Heading northeast we cross the mountainous region of the Eastern Desert, famed in antiquity for its gold mines and granite quarries, to reach Safaga, our base for exploring the wonders of the Red Sea. Staying at a comfortable hotel, the time spent here has been left free for you to choose a variety of optional excursions or simply unwind under the clear blue skies. During your stay in Safaga you will be looked after by an Explore Local Representative. Please note the following itinerary for days 11, 12 and 13 is a suggestion only and is subject to change. It is also worth noting that other optional excursions are available, details of which will be supplied by your Explore Representative.

11

Optional snorkelling in the Red Sea

The Red Sea is famous for its superb coral reefs and multi-coloured fish. Living in such favourable conditions are schools of beautifully marked and iridescent species, alongside barracudas and small sharks. We will arrange an optional snorkelling trip by boat (6 to 8 hours) over the coral reefs around Safaga. Scuba diving is another possibility or simply laze on the beach or by the pool casting an occasional eye on the boats plying the Red Sea.

12

Free day in Safaga

Today you can try your hand at scuba diving (optional). This is a full day for divers of all levels. Those who have never dived before will spend the morning learning the basics in a pool before going for an afternoon dive. There are also refresher courses available for those who have not dived for over a year and there are advanced dives available for anyone holding a PADI or equivalent qualification. Please note that all training, instruction and accompanied dives are operated with fully qualified instructors. Alternatively, you can simply enjoy relaxing on the beaches.

Transfer to Cairo by road

14

Free day in Cairo

A full day in Cairo to enjoy some of the sites of the capital not visited at the start of the tour. Among the options available is a visit to the wonderful mosques and the Citadel of Islamic Cairo and a chance to discover the markets of the world famous Khan el Khalili. Alternatively the impressive Step Pyramid complex of Saqqara is well worth a visit in conjunction with the Red and Bent Pyramids at Dashur.

15

Tour ends Cairo

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Nile Felucca Sailtrek + Red Sea tour available at present.